Bali Holidays, Done Properly

Australians normally enter Indonesia on a visa on arrival, paid at Ngurah Rai airport or purchased online before departure as an e-VOA. It is issued for 30 days and can usually be extended once for a further 30 days.

Indonesia requires at least six months' validity on your passport from the date of arrival, and airlines do check this at the Australian departure gate. The electronic customs declaration is also completed online before you land — do it on the plane or in the arrivals queue if you haven't already.

Rules change without much warning. Confirm the current requirements on Smartraveller before you book anything non-refundable.

Bali is priced in Indonesian rupiah, and the AUD/IDR rate moves enough to change the feel of a holiday. Card payments are widely accepted in Seminyak, Canggu, Ubud and Nusa Dua, but warungs, local drivers and market stalls are still cash-first.

Use ATMs attached to bank branches rather than standalone machines, decline the machine's own currency conversion, and check what your Australian bank charges for international withdrawals — a travel card or fee-free debit card usually saves more than haggling ever will.

Most accommodation quotes include the standard service and tax loading, but villas sometimes quote before it. Bali also charges a tourist levy on arrival, payable online or at the airport.

Medical evacuation from Indonesia to Australia is expensive and Medicare does not apply — there is no reciprocal health care agreement with Indonesia. Comprehensive travel insurance is the single most important thing Australians under-buy for Bali.

Read the motorcycle clause carefully. Most Australian policies only cover scooter injuries if you hold a valid Australian motorcycle licence and an international driving permit endorsed for motorcycles, and if you were wearing a helmet. Riding without that combination is the most common reason Bali claims are refused.

Adventure activities such as rafting, volcano trekking, diving and ATV riding are excluded from some basic policies, so check the activity list before you book them.